七步诗
The Seven-Step Poem
Original
煮豆持作羹，
漉菽以为汁。
萁在釜下燃，
豆在釜中泣。
本是同根生，
相煎何太急？
Translation
Cook beans to make a soup,
Sieve soybeans to extract their juice.
Bean stalks burn beneath the pot,
Beans weep inside the pot.
From the same root we both originate—
Why burn each other so urgently?
Line by Line Analysis
About This Poem
The Seven-Step Poem (translated): Cook beans to make a soup, Sieve soybeans to extract their juice. Bean stalks burn beneath the pot, Beans weep inside the pot. From the same root we both originate— Why burn each other so urgently? Background & Meaning: Written during the Three Kingdoms era, this poem emerged from Cao Zhi’s crisis after his brother Cao Pi’s succession. As a literary prodigy, Cao Zhi faced political persecution for his talent and kinship ties. The allegorical beans and stalks symbolize brothers turned adversaries, with the stalks (Cao Pi) burning to cook the beans (Cao Zhi), highlighting unjust betrayal. Its concise imagery and emotional power make it a timeless critique of power struggles, embodying the tragedy of gifted kin torn apart by ambition.
About the Poet
曹植
Zhào Zhí
Cao Zhi (192–232 CE), courtesy name Zijian, was a pivotal poet and politician during China’s Three Kingdoms period, a key figure in Jian'an literature. Renowned alongside his father Cao Cao and brother Cao Pi as one of the 'Three Cao,' he excelled in lyrical, philosophical poetry. His works, including 'Rhapsody on the Lo River,' blended vivid imagery with emotional depth, reflecting the era’s turmoil and his own tragic fate under political strife.
Cultural & Historical Context
Historical Background: The poem was crafted during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 CE), a time of fragmentation after the Han Dynasty’s collapse. Cao Pi, Cao Zhi’s elder brother, had just ascended the Wei throne, sparking a power struggle between siblings. Cultural Context: Rooted in Confucian ideals of filial piety, the poem subverts these values through the stark reality of blood kin turned foes. Social Setting: The Wei state’s literary court prioritized political control over artistic freedom, with censorship and exile for dissenting kin. Personal Strife: Cao Zhi, once favored by his father Cao Cao, fell into disgrace post-220 CE, enduring repeated exiles. Purpose & Artistry: Composed under duress, the poem uses the bean-stalk metaphor to condemn Cao Pi’s persecution. Its art lies in understated imagery—burning stalks fueling the pot, beans weeping—creating emotional resonance. The six-line, five-character structure ensures compact, powerful delivery, blending natural allegory with political commentary, making it a timeless warning against power’s corrupting influence.